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Fajita Dip on Wednesday - Plus, What Are Your Top 5 Pantry Staples?

by on ‎01-26-2015 06:29 PM

Hello, foodies...


I started my Monday a little later than usual today…it was a late night! If you missed it yesterday, we had TWO episodes of In the Kitchen with David yesterday…one at Noon ET with Jill Bauer and one at 8pm ET with yours truly. It was QVC’s Cooking on Q Kitchen Makeover and the first time we ever tried having two shows on one day. Let me know what you thought!


We’re onto our final “Budget-Friendly, Make-Ahead” recipe for January this Wednesday night…Fajita Dip!



Fajita Dip
Serves 14


This recipe is prepared with the Le Creuset 5.25-Qt Round Deep French Oven with Cookbook & Spatula (K41329).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.


Ingredients:



  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1-1/2 lb lean ground beef

  • 1 (16-oz) bag frozen chopped peppers and onions, thawed

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

  • 2 (1.12-oz) packs fajita seasoning mix

  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

  • 1 (12-oz) can original diced tomatoes and green chilies (Ro-Tel), not drained

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese

  • 1 (8-oz) bag shredded Colby Jack cheese

  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Preparation:



  1. Pour 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil into 5-qt pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the ground beef, thawed onions and peppers, and jalapeño. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 12–14 minutes.

  2. Add the seasoning packs and black pepper and stir until fully incorporated. Add the can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, sour cream, and cream cheese. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally for 5–6 minutes. Add the shredded Colby Jack cheese and cook until melted and warm. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy it with your favorite dippers.


Fajita Dip


If your kitchen is the gathering place in your house, you could keep this dip on the stove and reheat it occasionally, so it's hot and bubbly. Then, guests can help themselves. Or, if you have a slow cooker, just transfer the mixture and set it on low. We spent $19.29 for the ingredients in this recipe at our local supermarket. That balances out to just $1.37 per serving...which is pretty darn good. And remember, if you used the family-sized package of ground beef, your total could be even less.


So last week we talked about buying family-sized packages of meat. Let’s talk about the pantry today. Coffee, rice, flour, sugar, and cereal are just some of the staples you can buy for less in larger quantities. Portion them out in smaller sizes when you get home, whether in Lock & Lock containers or zip-top bags.


You can also save on buying a number of items, like canned goods, pasta, and sauce, if you take advantage of store savings...buy 3, get one free; 5 for $5; you get the idea. Just check your circular before shopping or pay attention to any special pricing signs. Also, if you know you make tacos, pancakes, and/or pasta for dinner at least twice a month, make it a point to keep those ingredients on hand. The same logic applies to spices and your favorite condiments. If you have the essentials, you'll only need produce and the occasional extra on a week-to-week basis.


It’s always a good idea do a monthly inventory of what you have in your pantry. Or, if you know you won’t do it, consider putting risers or additional shelving in your pantry if there are blind spots. More often than not, if you can’t see it, you won’t remember you have it.


Your blog question today is more of a fill in the blank. Tell me what five ingredients I can always find in your pantry…and be specific! Do you have Jasmine rice or black olives? Lasagna noodles? What about chicken noodle soup? I’ll see you Wednesday night at 8pm ET. If you're on the East Coast, safe travels the next few days as this storm heads our way. Better yet--don't travel. Cozy up at home with some hot chocolate.


Keep it flavorful!
—David